In a week from the day of the appeal of Sir Henry two troops, each of a hundred men strong, drew up in front of Furness Hall.  To the eye of a soldier accustomed to the armies of the Continent, with their bands trained by long and constant warfare, the aspect of this troop might not have appeared formidable.  Each man was dressed according to his fancy.  Almost all wore jack-boots coming nigh to the hip, iron breast and back pieces, and steel caps.  Sir Henry Furness and four gentlemen, his friends, who had seen service in the Low Countries, and had now gladly joined his band, took their places, Sir Henry himself at the head of the body, and two officers with each troop.  They, too, were clad in high boots, with steel breast and back pieces, thick buff leather gloves, and the wide felt hats with feathers which were worn in peace time.  During the war some of the Royalist officers wore iron caps as did their foes.  But the majority, in a spirit of defiance and contempt of their enemies, wore the wide hat of the times, which, picturesque and graceful as it was, afforded but a poor defense for the head.  Almost all wore their hair long and in ringlets, and across their shoulders were the white scarfs typical of their loyalty to the king.  Harry bestrode a fine horse which his father had given him, and had received permission to ride for half the day’s march by his side at the head of the troop.  The trumpeter sounded the call, Sir Henry stood up in his stirrups, drew his sword and waved it over his head, and shouted “For God and King.”  Two hundred swords flashed in the air, and the answering shout came out deep and full.  Then the swords were sheathed, the horses’ heads turned, and with a jingle of sabers and accouterments the troop rode gayly out through the gates of the park.

Upon their way north they were joined by more than one band of Cavaliers marching in the same direction, and passed, too, several bodies of footmen, headed by men with closely-cropped heads, and somber figures, beside whom generally marched others whom their attire proclaimed to be Puritan preachers, on their way to join the army of Essex.  The parties scowled at each other as they passed; but as yet no sword had been drawn on either side, and without adventure they arrived at Nottingham.

Having distributed his men among the houses of the town, Sir Henry Furness rode to the castle, where his majesty had arrived the day before.  He had already the honor of the personal acquaintance of the king, for he had in one of the early parliaments sat for Oxford.  Disgusted, however, with the spirit that prevailed among the opponents of the king, and also by the obstinacy and unconstitutional course pursued by his majesty, he had at the dissolution of Parliament retired to his estate, and when the next House was summoned, declined to stand again for his seat.